Esophageal cancer is one of the rarest types of cancer and begins in the cells that line up the esophagus. The esophagus is a hollow tube that links up the throat and the stomach. Most esophageal cancers can be classified as one of two types: adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. There is another type of esophageal cancer known as small cell carcinoma; however, this subtype is extremely rare and is not seen very often. Each subtype is unique and develops in different ways, and the lines of treatment for each differ depending on several factors, such as the staging of the cancer, previous treatments that were available, and the overall health of the patient. This article will dive deep into these various subtypes and the treatment offered for them.
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed esophageal cancer, and approximately half of all esophageal cancer cases belong to this category. This subtype of cancer begins in the glandular cells, which are not normally present in the lining of the esophagus. Adenocarcinoma mainly occurs at the lower end of the esophagus and the upper part of the stomach. It is seen that this type of cancer is most commonly seen in middle-aged, overweight white men. Since the 1970s, the incidence of this disease has grown faster than any other cancer in the United States. Experts believe that there are several factors that may be contributing to this upsurge. A person’s chances of developing this disease can increase significantly if they have Barrett’s esophagus. Along with this, the rise of this disease can also be attributed to the increase in the number of people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition where the contents of the stomach, such as acid or bile, move up into the esophagus repeatedly, resulting in chronic inflammation.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
The second-most common type of esophageal cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. It begins when the squamous cells, which are the thin, flat cells that line up the inside of the esophagus, begin to grow uncontrollably. Tumors for this type of cancer typically form in the upper and middle part of the esophageal tract. This type of cancer is also called epidermoid carcinoma. There are several risk factors that can contribute to the development of squamous cell carcinoma. Some of these risk factors include:
- Ultraviolet radiation is due to sun exposure.
- Smoking.
- Alcohol consumption.
- Human Papillomavirus.
Small-cell carcinoma
This type of esophageal cancer is extremely rare and begins in the neuroendocrine cells, a type of cell that releases hormones into the bloodstream in response to a signal from the nerves. This type of esophageal cancer is extremely rare and only has an incidence rate of 0.1% to 2.4% of all the esophageal cancer cases. This type of cancer is highly aggressive and a localized disease. Due to this, a multimodal treatment approach is typically used for this type of cancer. Though there is not a lot of knowledge about this subtype, experts believe that certain risk factors, such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, can contribute to the development of this disease.
Final Note
Esophageal cancer is one of the leading malignancies in the world today and there are certain risk factors that contribute to the development of this disease. With the development in the field of cancer research, it is imperative that people understand that this disease is very treatable and one can overcome this deadly disease
